Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 30

Janaka’s Quest for Liberation; Pañcaśikha’s Sāṅkhya on Renunciation, Elements, Guṇas, and the Deathless State

Devanagari script

रेतोवटकणीकायां घृतपाकाधिवासनम् । जातिस्मृतिरयस्कांतः सूर्यकांतोंऽबुभक्षणम् ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

retovaṭakaṇīkāyāṃ ghṛtapākādhivāsanam | jātismṛtirayaskāṃtaḥ sūryakāṃtoṃ'bubhakṣaṇam || 30 ||

Translation

When a small pellet (kaṇikā) made of semen (retas) and vāta is steeped in ghee-cooking (ghṛta-pāka), it brings forth recollection of former births (jāti-smṛti). Likewise, the use of the lodestone (ayaskānta) and the sun-stone (sūryakānta) is linked with “water-eating”—subsisting on water alone.

Word by Word

• retaḥ-vaṭa-kaṇīkāyām: in a semen-granule/pellet
• retaḥ-vaṭa-kaṇīkāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: retaḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + vaṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + kaṇikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्देशः): retaḥ-vaṭa = ‘semen-drop’, ततः retaḥ-vaṭa-kaṇikā = ‘pellet/granule of semen-drop’

• ghṛta-pāka-adhivāsanam: ghee-cooking impregnation/soaking
• ghṛta-pāka-adhivāsanam: Karta (कर्ता) / Uddeśya (उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + pāka (प्रातिपदिक) + adhivāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः: ghṛta-pāka = ‘cooking in ghee’, ततः ghṛta-pāka-adhivāsana = ‘impregnation/soaking by ghee-cooking’

• jāti-smṛtiḥ: recollection of past birth
• jāti-smṛtiḥ: Karta (कर्ता) / Uddeśya (उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāti (प्रातिपदिक) + smṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः: ‘memory of (past) birth’

• ayaskāntaḥ: magnet (lodestone)
• ayaskāntaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) / Uddeśya (उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayas (प्रातिपदिक) + kānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः: ayas-kānta = ‘iron-beloved’ = lodestone/magnet

• sūryakāntaḥ: sunstone/crystal
• sūryakāntaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) / Uddeśya (उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + kānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः: sūrya-kānta = ‘sun-beloved’ = sunstone/crystal

• ambu-bhakṣaṇam: drinking (lit. eating) of water
• ambu-bhakṣaṇam: Karta (कर्ता) / Uddeśya (उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambu (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः: ‘eating/drinking of water’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in Moksha-dharma context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It lists specialized, esoteric procedures and substances said to yield unusual capacities—especially jāti-smṛti (memory of past births)—and links them with austere regimens, framing such powers as ancillary topics within Moksha-dharma.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Bhakti is not taught directly here; the verse instead catalogs siddhi-like results from technical means. In Moksha-dharma contexts, such attainments are typically secondary compared to liberation-oriented disciplines like devotion, detachment, and inner realization.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse reflects applied technical lore (prayoga)—closer to Ayurvedic/occult procedure than core Vedanga—using precise terms for processing (pāka, adhivāsana) and austerity-practice (ambu-bhakṣaṇa) as part of a disciplined regimen.